Wednesday, June 5, 2013

European Treats from Brits and Au Marché

I’m always enamored by European food, especially British
fare, as those of you who read this blog already know thanks to my posts on a
typical British ploughman’s lunch and afternoon tea. When I was in the United
Kingdom, I spent a great deal of time
walking through every aisle of the corner shop looking at the products offered that
were different from home. And when I found the Harrods food halls, I was in
heaven!

I've never been to the other European countries, but I love
the food from France
(I blame Julia Child), Italy
(Lidia Bastianich and Mary Ann Esposito), and Germany
(my German heritage.) Breads, cheeses, and cured meats comprise some of my
favorite lunches, and my favorite varieties and styles seem to come from across
the Atlantic.

Last Saturday, The Picky Eater and I spent the day in Lawrence,
Kansas, which always includes stops at Brits and Au Marché, conveniently located next door to each other. These two shops can conquer just
about any European craving.

Being a true anglophile, Brits is my first stop. The Picky
Eater sits on a bench and waits while I go up and down each aisle to check out
what’s new and look for old favorites.

You can find any tea imaginable...

Plus a lot of food stuffs that take me back to
those little corner shops in small British towns.

There are also beverages (I love the rose lemonade and
elderflower pressé), cheeses, and frozen sausages and meat pies. Recently the
shop started selling take-away items from Queen Lizzy’s Catering, including
scotch eggs and sausage rolls.

Of course, there are souvenirs…

And collectibles…

Don’t forget the jams…

Plus scarves from various football (soccer) teams…

I always leave with my favorite Carrs Ginger Lemon Cremes
biscuits (cookies) and Nestle Toffee Crisp candy bar, plus anything else that
looks appealing. Usually that includes a jar of orange marmalade, a book on
British food, a new tea, and pudding. Also, we always stock up on Airwaves
menthol and eucalyptus gum, which packs a refreshing punch in each tiny piece.

First I head straight for the cheese
case. Cheese is my favorite food, but the chocolate case comes in a close
second.

Plus, I make a stop at the case of imported salami and hams (some were missing because the clerk behind the counter was busy slicing them for customers)…

And then I scope out all of the other food stuffs, though some
of the labels aren't in English, so I have no idea what’s inside. Of course, all
I have to do is ask owner Lora Wiley and she fills me in on the details.

The shop sells in-house coffee bean varieties. Also available are bags of tea in a lot of different flavors.
I left with the orange-cinnamon variety, which is yummy.

The only problem with Brits and Au Marché is deciding which
treat to enjoy first when I get home.